Heart Shaped Box
by DeathsLittleBirdie
Summary: Though her heart physically belonged to her dreaded master, Aizen Sosuke, her love belonged to another man. Tia/Stark. Bits of IchiRuki.


**Author's Note: Another random one-shot that popped into my head while I was exercising. You can say that my heart pumping gave me this idea. That, and I was thinking about an anime that kinda has this topic when concerning two of its characters. Enjoy!**

_**Disclaimer: I do now own 'Bleach'.**_

* * *

><p>The young woman fell to her knees, clutching her chest as she gasped for air. Her eyes were snapped shut and her chest felt it was being strangled by barbed wires. The place where her heart should have resided burn like an inferno, slowly consuming her body and making her writher in agony. Yet, she refused to shed a tear . Even as the pain became too much and instead of tears, crimson droplets escaped her dark green colored eyes.<p>

A choked cry escaped her lips, while the beast that held her beating heart only smirked.

Finally, after being satisfied with his disobediant pet's pain, he released his hold on her heart.

Hailibel Tia found that she could breath once again and she feel to the floor with a quiet thud.

* * *

><p>Another day passed and Tia found herself in front of her so-called "master". His brown hair, from what she could see, was swiped back with one lone strand of hair in-between his eyes. She silently laughed, remembering a woman she had met awhile ago who also had a bit of hair in-between her eyes. Tia envied the woman that was known as Kuchiki Rukia. Though the woman was like herself, her heart kept in the grasp of a wicked man, the Kuchiki was still strong and bold enough to physically harm her master.<p>

A man her own master loathed.

Tia was snapped from her thoughts when she felt a warm hand cup her tan face. She stared into the soft, which surprised her that such a cruel man had such color eyes and kept her passive face placed.

"My pet, why don't we go out? I am sure you need some time out of your cage."

"Hai, Aizen-sama."

Tia may have felt disgusted when Aizen Sosuke wrapped his hand around hers, she would not deny the feeling of excitement running up her spine at the news of going out.

Not because she felt caged, but because she was going to be able to see _him_.

* * *

><p>The moment she was certain her master had fallen asleep, Tia snuck out of the room she shared with him and fled into the night to meet him. And, as usual when she would arrive at their private spot, she found him sleeping soundly on the ground. His arm covered his eyes, blocking away the light of the moon. Tia sat down beside him, patiently waiting for him to awaken.<p>

When she felt a tender grip on her wrist, she turned her gaze to the man she had stupidly fallen in love with.

Coyote Stark was a powerful man that spent far too much time sleeping away the days given to him. Yet, Tia would not deny the feelings she would get around him when he would stare deeply into her cold eyes.

"Why didn't you wake me?"

Tia shook her head, giving him a look that he could quickly understand.

_I enjoy watching you sleep._

He hummed, allowing the message to sink in before gingerly placing a kiss on her still lips.

_I enjoying having you by my side while I sleep._

Both embraced the moment fully, finally able to be together after months of being separated. Then, the moment was shattered when her beloved ask the same question he would always ask.

"Why don't you leave him?"

Tia sighed, her large chest rising up slowly before falling. She placed a hand over where her heart should have been before grabbing his hand and placing it above the spot her hand had been just moments ago. She allowed his hand to stay before releasing her grip and allowing his hand to drift away.

"Due to the spell he placed on me, Aizen-sama holds my beating heart. If I ever try to leave him, I would die by him destroying it. Freedom is something I can easily achieve, but cannot due to the fact that the man could kill me in a matter of seconds."

Tia turned her gaze, her blond hair covering her eyes for a moment. She felt the roughness of his hands when he pushed away strands of her hair and she saw something deep within his eyes.

"What if I kill him?"

Hope fluttered into her chest, but was demolished when she knew what the outcome would be.

"If he died, I would have no idea how to reverse the curse."

A short grunt came from Stark's throat before he chuckled weakly.

"Let me worry about that. This is going be such a pain in the ass, but I'll do it."

"If it's going to be such a problem, why go through it all?"

Stark opened his eyes, staring deep down into the depths of her very soul. A hand brushed against hers before lips pressed against her earlobe.

The kiss was gentle and quick and then he vanished into the air. Tia looked around, the loneliness returning and finding herself returning to her master.

* * *

><p>Tia watched her master shake hands with the man he would love to drive his sword into. Kurosaki Ichigo stood tall, a scowl set firmly in place. Behind him, a petite woman stood with a smirk on her face. Lavender met green, both connecting at that very moment. As their masters spoke, the pets were sent away to a room.<p>

"You seem to be as plain as ever, Tia-san."

Kuchiki Rukia playfully smacked Tia on her head before taking a seat across from her. Tia only nodded solemnly, making the short woman huff and cross her arms.

"I was only kidding. You really are too serious." Rukia laughed.

"I saw a coyote again."

The area in the room became silent, Rukia's smile turned into a thin line. Their eyes met and their plain conversation, to the servants, held a different meaning to the two speaking.

"Really? How interesting."

_Tell me more._

"Yes, he was watching an eagle. I believe for its next meal."

_He wants to kill my master._

"Oh, did he succeed?"

_Do you think he can do it?_

"I don't know. Both ran out of my sight before I could see."

_I don't know._

Finishing the tea, Rukia placed her cup down and leaned back in her seat. Her large eyes were closed, making others believe she was in deep thought, or completely uninterested.

"I do hope that poor thing got his meal."

_I wish him all the best._

"As do I."

_I pray he does._

Rukia opened her eyes, her smirk widening on her face. Tia did not return the smile, only bowed her head once before bringing the warm drink to her lips. The women sat in silence, speaking a plain conversation to the ears of the servants.

* * *

><p>The embrace between Rukia and Tia was short lived as their master's separated them. Rukia gave an annoyed look to Ichigo before smiling back at Tia. She bowed, having to respect the powerful man behind her friend, before walking toward their carriage.<p>

"I do hope you see that coyote again, Tia."

Tia only bowed her head before she and her master disappeared into the carriage.

"That bastard is trying to force me into giving him more of my land. I should gut him." Ichigo muttered once in the privacy of the carriage.

"I don't think you will have to." Rukia said, causing her master to look toward her in shock.

"Eh? What's that suppose to mean, midget?"

Ichigo yelped when a foot dug deeply into his shin, glaring at the woman staring down at him with burning eyes.

"Shut up, idiot!" Rukia barked.

"You have a lot of guts to hit the guy that literally holds your heart in his hand." Ichigo growled, his face nearing hers. Rukia chuckled, her hand cupping his tanned face.

"Fool, I gave you my heart willingly."

Their eyes closed and their lips pressed against one another in a quick kiss before Ichigo began to speak once again.

"Do you know something?"

Rukia chuckled, leaning back in her seat and laughing softly to herself before looking back into her master's hazel eyes.

"I do know something. A coyote will be getting a good meal soon and a caged pet will soon be set free."

* * *

><p>Her heart was once again in her master's clutches. This time he was merciless, digging his nails into the beating organ. If he had used his full strength, it would have popped in his grasp. Tears and blood dripped from her eyes, her throat going sore from the pain destroying her body.<p>

"How dare you try to leave me. You will pay for your mistake."

Pain crashed her body like a brutal wave. Her knees buckled and she clutched the carpet in an attempt to stop the agony. Her blood was caused by the pain, but her tears fell for the man laying behind her master. His blood still dripped from his neck, his beautiful eyes wide and staring into hers.

The fallen tears were due the pain of losing the man she loved. Not the pain her master was bring onto her.

As darkness began to engulf her eye sight, or it could have just been the blood in her eyes, she saw something that made the tears stop.

Then, a sharp blade piercing her master's chest was all she saw before she fell into the darkness.

* * *

><p>When Tia opened her eyes, she found herself looking at the rising sun. Her body ached, but the soft grass below her somehow relieved her of the pain. As the darkness of the night was slowly replaced by the light of the morning sun, she felt something gently brush against her cheek.<p>

Her green eyes looked over at the bloody man that had saved her. A box was in his hand and she could faintly hear the soft beating of what she presumed was her own heart.

"Sorry, but I was right; That was a pain in the ass."

Tia tried to fight away the smile attempting to appear on her face, but failed miserably.

Before he could react, he felt her embrace his body. Her head was against her neck, the box holding her heart in-between them. Stark awkwardly returned the embrace, allowing the box to slide down to his lap.

They both stayed in one another's embrace, neither of them willing to let go.

"What now?" Tia whispered softly.

"I'm going to look for a witch. A good one that can help us find a way to return your heart." Stark replied.

Tia pushed away to stare into her lover's eyes. She saw the cut on his check that would leave a scar on his rugged face and closed her eyes. Her hand landed on top of the box and she felt the subtle beating of her heart against it. With all the courage she had, she lifted the box and placed it into his hand. She saw the surprise in his gaze and was ready to speak out when her finger hushed him.

"No. I want the man that risked his own life, risked losing his own heartbeat, to own my heart."

They stared deeply into their eyes, the sun cascading a beautiful light over their beaten and bloodied bodies. Both of their hands over the box that continued to hold the living heart of Hailibel Tia.

* * *

><p><strong>This may be the most loveable fic have every created. Originally, I was going to place Rukia as the role Tia was, Ichigo in Stark's, and Grimmjow in Aizen's, but chose differently. Why? I don't have a clue. Ask my plot bunnies. Hoped you all enjoyed my first TiaStark fic! Bai-Bai!**

**xDeathsLittleBirdiex**


End file.
